English
Etymology
Latin expectatum, to look out for, await, expect; ex + out spectare to look at. See Spectacle.
Transitive Verb
to expect
imp. & p. p. Expected; p. pr. & vb. n. Expecting.
- To look for (mentally); to look forward to, as to something that is believed to be about to happen or come; to have a previous apprehension of, whether of good or evil; to look for with some confidence; to anticipate; -- often followed by an infinitive, sometimes by a clause (with, or without, that); as I expect to receive wages; I expect that the troops will be defeated.
- Good: I will expect you. Shakespeare
- Expecting thy reply. Shakespeare
- The Somersetshire or yellow regiment ... was expected to arrive on the following day. Macaulay.
- to require; to consider obligatory
- You are expected to get the task done by the end of next week.
- (Obsolete) To wait for; to await.
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Synonyms
Expect is a mental act and has aways a reference to the future, to some coming event; as a person expects to die, or he expects to survive. Think and believe have reference to the past and present, as well as to the future; as I think the mail has arrived; I believe he came home yesterday, that he is he is at home now. There is a not uncommon use of expect, which is a confusion of the two; as, I expect the mail has arrived; I expect he is at home. This misuse should be avoided. Await is a physical or moral act. We await that which, when it comes, will affect us personally. We expect what may, or may not, interest us personally. See Anticipate.
